If we built our cities in such a way that everyone didn't need a car, this wouldn't be a problem. Nonetheless, and quite ironically, off-street parking mandates

If we built our cities in such a way that everyone didn't need a car, this wouldn't be a problem. Nonetheless, and quite ironically, off-street parking mandates are one of the main reasons that everyone does need a car. Eliminate those mandates, and you eliminate vast swathes of empty nothingland that are a huge hindrance to car-free living. Furthermore, if there is no off-street parking and cities price on-street parking appropriately such that there are always a few empty spots, no one would move into the area with the expectation that they can park their car for free, and it wouldn't be a problem. Off-street parking mandates sound like a good idea, but they're actually horrible for cities, and they're part of why most American cities are as sprawling and car-dependent as they are. City-planners of the 20th century thought the same as you and didn't consider the consequences, and now the trend is reversing: many cities and states are beginning to eliminate those mandates, but it's going to take quite a long time before the effects are felt.